Subscribers to BLADE have everything they need to be a full-fledged knife enthusiast. All except for the actual knives, of course. Although the hundreds of color photographs of knives pop off the pages, their edges can only go so far as paper cuts.

Paper cuts won't sting as much as some of the gifts editor Steve Shackleford recommends during the holiday season. He outlines where the candy canes and the lumps of coal are headed in "Unsheathed."

For everyone else, here are the gifts to unwrap in the February 2009 issue of BLADE:

• Dave Rhea takes a look at the swords from the hit TV show "Heroes" and finds quality Japanese blades never go out of style.

• Shane Sibert is a rising star in the knife world, making beefy knives with an attractive, modern touch that never loses sight of the past. Find out why his "Colossus" graces the cover.

• The 2008 BLADEhandmade Awards honored the best custom knifemakers of the year. Find out who made the best folder, utility/hunter, miniature, fighter and more.

• Keep up with the latest handle material trends with Mike Haskew's "What's Hot in Handle Materials."

• The controversy over exhibitors leaving knife shows early comes to a close in Ed Fowler's "Knife Talk."

• By all accounts, the new location of Blade Show West made the event even better. Editor Steve Shackleford gives an overview of the Blade Show's west coast cousin.

• Wayne Goddard offers helpful information for those who want to "Know Your Blade Grinds."

• The conclusion to Joe Keeslar's two-part series shows how to make silver wire inlays using the Keeslar method.

• Durwood Hollis shows how to keep knives in great condition, Stephen Garger explains why fighters aren't the "Black Sheep of Blades," Tarek Mirshak reveals why "Somewhere, Bud Cronk is Smiling" and much, much more!

BLADE is the World's #1 Knife Publication. Learn more here.

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